The very best from the world of smooth jazz and classic soul.

February 01, 2018

Dan Siegel’s career is one of the most storied in contemporary jazz and the wonderful thing is that it continues to flourish. With a discography that stretches back twenty albums to 1980, Siegel set the standards for the early days of smooth jazz. His releases include ‘Going Home’, ‘Reflections’ and of course the 1987 ‘Northern Lights’ from which the still often played ‘Rhapsody’ is taken. He released the excellent ‘Inside Out’ in 2004 and followed that two years later with ‘Departure’ a collection that at the time was described as the ultimate “Siegel Unplugged” experience. Although leaning toward the subtle jazz trio approach, the joint production technique adopted by Siegel and Brian Bromberg (who also played acoustic bass) ensured the project was never shy to push out the boundaries.

January 20, 2018

Since 2011 and his debut recording ‘Generations’, keyboard player Scott Allman has steadily been building his reputation with music that has radio ready written all over it. ‘Next Stop Home’ followed in 2013 and now the Chicago based Allman has come roaring back with the CD ‘Elevated’ from which the single ‘Radio Waves’ is taken.

Written by Allman and produced by Darren Rahn (who also features on sax) ‘Radio Waves’ is a stunning slice of mellifluous keyboard driven delight that, with contributions from guitarist Allen Hinds, bass player Mel Brown, drummer Khari Parker and Jason Rahn with horns, ticks every smooth jazz box imaginable.

January 12, 2018

Guitarist Kay-Ta Matsuno was born in Osaka, Japan, and at age twenty relocated to Boston, MA where he studied at Berklee College of Music. His career as a professional musician started, as many do, in Los Angeles where he quickly established himself as a ‘go to’ session player. His credits in this respect include Baby Face Edmonds, Natalie Cole, Keiko Matsui, Lalah Hathaway, Chante Moore, Jackiem Joyner, Jody Watley and Yellowjackets stalwart Bob Mintzer.

In 2016 he released his debut solo album ‘Arrival’ a recording that is still garnering considerable airplay.

November 27, 2015

Although Bridgeport, Connecticut native Solomon Edmond (aka Solex) spent over twenty-five years on the gospel scene it was in 2007 that he released the CD ‘Together Again’, a tribute to his first cousin (and gospel guitarist) Jonathan Dubose and his first excursion into what is commonly known as secular music. ‘Love Language’ followed in 2010 with ‘The B-Side’ coming two years later. His latest album is titled ‘Liv’ but to showcase what Solex is all about his 2014 project ‘Smooth Soul’ is worth a closer look. Check out the title cut, right here, right now.

October 10, 2015

Bruce Nazarian was someone special and it is sad he is not around anymore. Bruce died late last week just when his amazing career was set to take another fork in the road. As many of you know, I guested for several years on his Digital Guy Radio show where he kindly allowed me to present the new music feature. Bruce was great to work with, the consummate professional and perfectionist who brought a touch of class to everything he did. I remember a great night (and a great dinner) we had together in San Diego where we met up at a Lee Ritenour gig and then of course back in San Diego for the unforgettable Lemonade Weekend where single handed, and against all odds, he pulled together a sensational musical experience. Thanks for the memories Bruce, thanks for the music but, above all, thanks for your friendship.

October 04, 2015

Often thought of as troubled, and who from time to time found himself on the wrong side of the law, German born and UK based soul singer Mark Morrison perhaps peaked too early. Despite his first official recording being the 1993 vinyl pressing, ‘Where Is Our Love’ it was in 1995 when what was classed as his debut single, ‘Crazy’, was released. It became a top 20 hit in the UK while the follow up, ‘Let's Get Down’ made the top 40.

However Morrison’s next visit to the recording studio garnered the massive cult hit, ‘Return of the Mack’ that became an international best seller. His first album, also titled ‘Return Of The Mack’, became a multi-platinum success and although other lesser hits followed the classic status that ‘Return Of The Mack’ quickly assumed meant, in reality, it’s popularity would never be surpassed.

July 18, 2015

Take the heady musical amalgam of Detroit in the seventies and eighties, factor in some of the hottest musical styles in contemporary jazz and what do you have? The answer is the The Brotherhood which finds legendary ‘Motor City’ session men Jerry Jones, Jervonny Collier and Bruce Nazarian in the choice company of fellow Detroiters Mark Nilan and Kenny Meriedeth plus noted vocalist “Sir” Harry Bowens, whose distinctive voice has been featured on many hit songs including the seminal Was (Not Was) hit ‘Walk The Dinosaur’.

Now, drawn together by their mutual love of funk, jazz, and soul, The Brotherhood is poised to break out later this year with their own special brand of funky/jazzy music which, if their collective track record is anything to go by, is sure to be right on the money. Hailing from Detroit, these musicians have collectively participated in hundreds of successful recordings, and played sessions with many of the original Motown Funk Brothers. Indeed, so deep was their interaction with these legendary Motown musicians, they lovingly refer to themselves as “The Funk Cousins”.

January 24, 2015

Well established as Mindi Abair’s touring guitarist, Jay Gore released the album ‘Identity’ in 2012. In the main it features songs he has written over the years and finally decided to record along with a tasty smooth jazz duet, co-written and performed with the one and only Peter White. The latest single to be lifted from the collection is his instrumental take on Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds 1975 classic ‘Fallin' In Love’ which looks destined to be a Valentines night crowd-pleaser.

January 16, 2015

Smooth jazz is all about opinions and that is why I am indebted to Isabella Angelique who has drawn my attention to the music of bass-player Ace Livingston. With his debut album ‘The Ace Livingston Project’ and the 2014 follow-up ‘My Metamorphosis’ Ace has been quietly making his mark at the urban end of the contemporary jazz rainbow while simultaneously emerging as the ‘go to’ touring bass player for a whole raft of A-List performers from genres as diverse as pop, gospel R&B and jazz.

Livingston grew up in Jamaica before relocating with his family to Connecticut where he harbored hopes for a career in professional soccer. When injury brought an abrupt end to this particular dream it was music to which he turned and it is music that now offers to him the prospect of a ‘major league’ existence of a whole different kind.

Standout tracks from ‘My Metamorphosis’ include the easy grooving ‘Wood Street’, ‘The Truth’ and the wonderfully soulful ‘Thinking Of You’ with featured vocals from Dawn Tillman.

Check out Ace Livingston if you can. He just might just be the next big thing in smooth jazz bass.

November 27, 2014

LA bass-man Mitchell Coleman draws his influences from the likes of Marcus Miller, Stanley Clarke, Larry Graham and Jaco Pastorius so it’s no surprise his debut album (‘Soul Searching’ that is out now on his own Soul Revelation label) is characterized by deliciously hard driving, bass driven funk.

October 30, 2014

Chances are, unless you are locked onto the LA music scene or a frequent traveler aboard The Smooth Jazz Cruise, you will not, as yet, have discovered the triple delights of high octane ‘party band’ DW3.

Complemented by some of the best musicians around, DW3 (short for ‘Down With 3’) is led by Eric Mondragon, Billy Mondragon and Damon Reel. They specialize in sumptuously crafted covers of some of the best R & B hits of the last forty or so years but now, newly signed to Woodward Avenue Records and with a new CD scheduled for early in 2015, these long-time regulars at Spaghettini in Seal Beach, CA (and perennial centerpiece of the late night poolside parties that have become such a feature of smooth jazz cruising) are all set to step it up a notch.

August 23, 2014

To gain cult status from the audience of a hugely successful television show will, for many, always remain a dream. Yet for composer and bass player Michael Haggins that dream became a reality. His song, ‘Daybreak’, featured on NBC’s Emmy award winning Community and in so doing became an immediate social media sensation. Indeed, this particular sensation turned out not to be of the overnight variety as in May 2014, when Community favorite Ken Jeong appeared on NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, both Jimmy and Ken had some fun while dancing around to a rendition from Fallon’s house-band of, yes you guessed it, ‘Daybreak’.

In fact Michael has been around awhile and although ‘Daybreak’ was lifted from his 2004 debut recording of the same name, both that and ‘Traffic’ (which followed four years later) marked him out as a consummate craftsman of smooth jazz tinged with old school R & B.

July 12, 2014

Careers characterized by longevity often point to an artist’s propensity for reinvention. However, in the case of bass player Nathan East, his burgeoning success can, in part, be explained by the way he has embraced differing genres and in doing so established touch points with different audiences that are united by a common appreciation of his playing.

Take for instance the ‘soulsters’ who discovered East, still in his teens, playing his part in Barry White’s powerhouse Love Unlimited Orchestra. They weren’t the only ones as writer and arranger Gene Page (which whom East had worked on White’s recording sessions) quickly spotted his talent and used him on numerous projects, including those for Dionne Warwick and Johnny Mathis.

June 18, 2014

Hammond organist Vel Lewis is yet another fine example of the synergy that sizzles between contemporary jazz and soul music from the golden age of Philadelphia. His new radio single, the ultra smooth ‘Song For My Love’, is grabbing some attention ahead of the June release of the EP ‘Colors Of Soul’ and the fact the collection was mixed by rising star Greg Manning (and features none other than Lenny Castro on percussion) will do its chances of success no harm at all.

December 21, 2013

Hollywood - December 2013 – Musician, producer and radio personality Bruce Nazarian has announced the Lemonade Weekend 2.0 and Citrus Music Awards will be held March 27-30, 2014 in Hollywood, CA.

This celebration of all that is good in contemporary jazz promises not only to be a wonderful showcase for the genre as a whole, but also a coming together of all those who wish to channel their love of this music into an event intended to do charitable good.

September 08, 2013

Despite
being a hugely sought after session and touring musician, bass player Dwayne
‘Smitty’ Smith waited until 2005 to release his debut solo album. Titled ‘This
Is Me’ it was an expression of his own musical personality and now he is
back with his latest offering, the eclectically jazzy ‘Stories’. Not only is it a
measure of how much his music has evolved but also provides a back-story that
chronicles his life and career. The CD
includes contributions from Kirk Whalum, Oli Silk, Oscar Seaton, Tim Gant and
Darrell Crooks while much like ‘This Is
Me’ (which contained signature tributes to Stevie Wonder) ‘Stories’ features an arrangement of ‘So What’ that Smith uses to honor the
music of Miles Davis.

April 04, 2013

‘Istanblu’ by percussionist
Johnny Sandoval has a title that
explains basically all you need to know about this funky, sometimes
extravagantly jazzy track. It reflects the
experiences that Johnny's
gained while touring in Istanbul,
Turkey for
three months and playing in Turkish Flamenco band Istwest. Of course those in the know will make the
connection between Sandoval and Greg Adams’ recent creation East Bay Soul, in
which Johnny has a pivotal role. His own
band, @conga, provides music that has been described elsewhere as a blend of international rhythms, jazz, and melody.

March 31, 2013

A new band to me is the
interestingly named ZOE that plays regularly in and around the Philadelphia area. Having opened for the likes of Dave Koz,
Sheila E. and Jonathan Butler these guys certainly know their way around the
contemporary jazz scene and, with appearances at the Catalina JazzTrax Festival
and the Spring Breeze Soul Jazz Cruise also on its resume, this is a group of
musicians that are consummately comfortable in a live environment. To experience what ZOE is all about check
this out.

The band has just released
its new CD, ‘Unstoppable’, on the NuGroove2
label from which the first single, ‘Always
Thinking of You’ features, and was produced by, Jim Peterik who, in his
time, composed that seminal song ‘Eye of
the Tiger’ and several years ago also dipped a toe into the smooth jazz
pool.